As I type this, I'm about to become an aunt for the third time - my youngest sister is currently in labour with her first baby. So lots of good wishes going to Jill and Dave.
12 feb 2011 - my 44th birthday. Can't believe how much has changed since my 40th! I have to laugh at the scale of the change - on my 40th birthday I would never have dreamed that by the time I was 44 I'd have had 2 more children, both girls! I was quite happy seeing myself as the mother of a son, now it seems I suddenly have to reinvent myself as the mother of girls too! LOL!
Now to get something off my chest - apologies for the moan.
I'm not very good at birthdays these days, not that my age bothers me. What does bother me is the lack of attention my birthday gets from any member of my family - it's the same at Christmas - and it's my own fault, really. I put a lot of effort into organizing gifts and cake etc for other family birthdays and in buying gifts people will like at Christmas, and I find it hurtful that nobody does the same for me. I do get cards from my family, but presents or any form of celebration is practically non-existant. I've started trying to organize things myself around my birthday, but even that failed miserably this year, thanks to a nasty cold.
I know I should tell my family how I feel and that I see a birthday as a big opportunity to show someone how you appreciate them, but it feels very selfish and petty to be complaining about birthdays at my age!
Here's a photo of the one and only present I got at Christmas (from my parents).
I'd finished most of the stitching early last year and added a N for Niamh in the summer. I thought it would be nice to make it a special piece, dedicated to my family, and asked my parents to get it framed for me for Christmas. I'm rather pleased with the result - it definitely is something special!
